title: RAS gene activation in acute myelogenous leukemia: analysis by in vitro amplification and DNA base sequence determination.
abstract: RAS protooncogene activation has been repeatedly demonstrated in neoplastic cell DNA from patients with AML. Despite the convincing demonstration that activating RAS gene point mutations are critical in model systems, their precise prevalence and importance in human cancers such as AML remain speculative. The technology for identifying RAS mutations has changed considerably in recent years. We examined a prospective cohort of 43 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients admitted to the University of Maryland Cancer Center for first and second exon mutations of NRAS and KRAS using PCR and DNA sequence analysis. Six (14%) 1st exon NRAS mutations were identified. No clinical or biologic parameter has yet been observed to segregate with RAS activation, although a larger study may be needed to demonstrate this.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mane
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Meltzer
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gutheil
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kapil
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Needleman
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D005091:Exons; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; C501009:HRAS protein, human; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)